Have you seen Sandals new Preston Bailey wedding additons?

If you're searching for the perfect destination wedding location, you many have an on going list of locations. One thing's for sure, Sandals does a great job at keeping their wedding package designs fresh and new.

It seems like just yesterday when we learned of Scarlett Lillian's photography shoot of Sandals new wedding designs by Preston Bailey! We anxiously awaited the unveil. Well I almost missed it!! Thank you Terrica!

Anywho, I know you've heard all things design magnificent about Preston. He brings to Sandals two brand new designs: Caribbean Sunset and Sea Mist. Caribbean Sunset looks to be a slight upgrade of The Water Lily Collection. Both of these designs offer bright yummy colors. However, the new Caribbean Sunset is a must have! Oh... I just love the bountiful supply of flowers used in the Sea Mist design (both of the new additions come with a nice sized centerpiece). The blue accents perfectly blends with the sky line and the breath taking waters. While the soft whites, pale greens and creams offer a ideal mesh with the beautiful sandy shores. Both of these designs come complete with a Sylvia Weinstock designed cake!

You can count on Sandals to afford you a white gloved luxury destination wedding and honeymoon experience! They did it again...

While you're at it, don't forget to email us for a copy of our Guide to Recession Proofing Your Destination Wedding!

Go platinum!

No, we're not talking about the popular WE network show Platinum Weddings. We are, however, talking about this trend setting color option in wedding gowns!

About a month ago, I assigned my group of interns various story board projects. They were responsible for picking three inspirations and designing boards that would fit budget, moderate and affluent nuptial clients. Brittney's affluent board centered around a platinum designer wedding gown. Her ability to step out of the box is remarkable. She has a beautiful ability to touches on details that will make an impact. This, my friends, is exactly why we're so excited to make her a part of our team. Needless to say, her ideas have been well above expectations. Just a little hint: Brittney used a design pallet centered around platinum and the most perfect blue. It is absolutely gorgeous!

If you're looking for a non-traditional color option for your wedding gown, I'd like to offer you a few designers to peek at: Justin Alexander, Allure Bridals, Mia Solano, Maggie Sottero and Reem Acra. Many of these designers have other tempting color variations. My head is filled with wonderful design ideas centered around these dresses.

At any rate, I've decided to post a few images of designers who have platinum gown options. I tried to include various shades and textures. However, my personal favorites today are those designed with silk taffeta fabric. This is by no means a complete list, but its enough to feed you a little eye candy.

{Justin Alexander}




{Maggie Sottero--Jewel}




{Maggie Sottero--Jasmina}




{Justin Alexander}




{Maggie Sottero--Nouvel}




{Justin Alexander}




{Maggie Sottero--Emmanuelle}




{Justin Alexander}

Our wedding is featured on TheKnot.com

I received a call from my best cyber-buddy (yep... I totally made that word up) Terrica from Fabuluxe Events. She left me the cutest message notifying me that our wedding was featured on The Knot. Thank you Terrica! For those of you who don't know it. Terrica is a fabulous wedding planner located in the Golden Isles of Georgia (a HOT destination wedding spot light). She designs and produces simply stunning work.

Okay, back to The Knot's featured wedding. We worked with Heather for about seven months. Heather opted for a full service planning package. She'd just moved to Lafayette, La. (one of our many service areas) from California and had no idea where to find good quality vendors to pull this wedding off. Needless to say, we were ecstatic to get started. Her preliminary ideas fit well with ours and the rest is history. Not to mention, we had a blast doing so! As you could imagine, our meeting, planning and designing took place across state lines. She'd take a shopping trip to Houston and I'd take planning trips to Lafayette. This was truly an enjoyable event to put together. That, my friends, what planning a wedding should be: fun and enjoyable!

Anywho... take a look! The remarkable Mark Eric was totally responsible for capturing such memorable moments. Thank you Mark!

[cheers!]

Hopping Honeymoon!

With all the attention and detail that goes into planning your wedding, taking a moment to sit down and think about your honeymoon could be a great stress-reliever (not to mention FUN!). So before you push those honeymoon plans to the side, think about this: Honeymoon's today aren't what they were when your parents were getting married! You can really go all out and plan that "once in a life-time" vacation. Make it specific to what your dream vacation would be. Whether it's relaxing on a white sandy beach for five days, or traveling the world, this should be your time to relax and enjoy the first days of your marriage!

  

One up-and-coming trend for honeymoon planning is to visit more than one location during your time off. You can plan a trip to Europe, and visit seven or more countries before heading back home! So for the "on-the-go" couple who would rather see and do more together on their honeymoon, this trend might be for you! 

{photo credit: www.travelwise.com}

Go Green!

Close to two and a half million weddings take place each year in the United States. With an average cost of $20-30,000 per event, weddings have a huge financial impact on the economy, and as one of the most consumptive, product- and service-oriented industries, the ecological footprint is also huge. With this information it is no wonder that interest in green weddings has grown tremendously. There are many ways that a planning bride can incorporate eco-friendly ideas into her wedding.

Eco-friendly Invitations. Send out save-the-dates and wedding invitations on tree-free or recycled paper. There are a multitude of companies that now offer a variety of eco-friendly options. A favorite I stumbled upon are these which are perfect for this upcoming summer season.

Say “I Do” To Green Rings. After founder Beth Gerstein's fiancé couldn't find a source for conflict-free diamonds, the couple took matters into their own hands. They started Brilliant Earth, a company that provides certified conflict-free diamonds as an alternative to the current diamond industry practices.

Give the Gift of Green. A fun way of getting your guests to participate in your “go green” mindset is to give them eco-friendly favors. My favorite find are these Wildflower Wedding Favor Bags that come in colorful, biodegradable packaging. Such a fun way to let your guests know that your “love is blooming!”

Let There Be (natural) Light. Getting married outdoors or in an area with ample natural light can conserve resources. Schedule your wedding for a time that allows for maximum lighting. If you are getting married during the warmer months, shelter you and your guests from the heat under a tent and decorate its poles with fresh wildflowers.

{Photo Credit: Common Ground}

Happy Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is celebrated this year on Sunday May 11th. This holiday gives thanks to outstanding moms who have supported and nurtured their families. This day should be spent cherishing the women who taught, disciplined, and loved you through life’s battles. This day is also meant for women to be thankful for the loving and caring families they have created. A mother’s love is endless…..

Give thanks to your mother on this special day and show her a token of appreciation.

Happy Mother’s Day

DIY Weddings

Trying to cut costs or wanting to figure out a way to make your wedding show your personality and style? There are many creative ideas that you can do to make your wedding unique and saves you money all in one! To help you get started, below are some great ideas:

* If you are having a beach themed wedding, collect seashells or sea glass and glue them onto frames to create place cards or to display menus on the table. This is a fun way for you and your fiancé to do something with each other during the hectic wedding process!

* Create a CD with your favorite songs that you want to have played at your wedding reception. Appoint your fiancés little brother to be DJ and I am sure he will be smiling from ear to ear with excitement. Make copies of the CD to be given to your guests as gift.

* Join forces with your mother, grandmother, sister-in-law, or whomever and bake small cakes or cupcakes to be placed on each table. Place a larger, possibly two-tiered cake on the head table. This will save a considerable amount in not having to outsource to a baker. Plus, it gives you a chance to bond with your family through baking!!

* Create your own save-the-dates and wedding invitations. Personalize them with the names of each guest or make sure no two are the same. Get creative and see what you come up with!

Wanting more ideas? Go to your local bookstore and check out The DIY Wedding by Kelly Bare. It's a great resource for any bride that wants to add that personal touch to her wedding.

{Photo Credit: Amazon}

Welcome Your Out-of-Town Guests!

If you're wanting to give your out-of-town guests a little "thank you for coming" gift, think about creating a fun welcome basket to put in their hotel rooms before they arrive! At your wedding, your guests will expect food, music, and dancing. But a nice welcome basket will be a fun surprise! Get together with your fiance to come up with fun and creative ideas that reflect you as a couple and your wedding day! Here are some great ideas to help you get started:

• A bottle of wine from the state in which you're getting married.
• A postcard from your wedding location.
• Brochures of fun attractions in the area.
• Spa gifts such as bath bubbles, hand lotion, and candles.
• Itinerary for your wedding weekend.
• Maps to the locations of your events.
• A small framed photograph of you and your fiance.
• And of course: a thank you note expressing your appreciation.

{photo credit: http://www.brides.com}